By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said yesterday, crime and murders would be significantly lower if "members of the public would stop cloaking criminals".
With a murder count of 59, 17 in May alone, Mr Greenslade said police are doing their best to curb crime, however residents who continue to hide criminals are hampering their efforts.
"Our officers are doing a fantastic job and we as a people should be grateful for the work that they do. They are your sons and daughters that are pounding the pavement everyday. They are not committing murders. They are responding to the reports.
"If a human being purposes in his or her heart because he or she is evil and decides to commit a crime it is going to be difficult for you and me to determine where they will go next. I am not making excuses but I do not want to sugar coat this. People will continue to commit murders if we cloak them.
"They will continue to commit murders if each time they offend, people hide them," he said.
The island is 80 square miles, its 24/7 we know who these people are. Do we have the courage? Do we have the integrity? Yes I said that. To turn them in. The murder figures will go down when we as a people take serious the business that is happening in our country. Ring the police and tell them where that young man is with the gun. Ring the police and tell them where that group is sitting selling drugs. Stop cloaking criminals. This commissioner has never made excuses, I have always faced it head on. I shall not make excuses now. But we are not in the business of working magic."
Mr Greenslade is inviting members of the press to support their local police by reporting illegal activity.
He said: "I want you to support us. Call us if you see or overhear anything relative to gang activity or any other criminal activity that could be taking place in your community.
"Any information that you give us will be held in the strictest confidence. Members of the public if your children, relatives or friends have or drugs or firearms in your house or on your property ask them to remove them and turn them into police.
"Please take my advice Rapid Strike and our select enforcement teams will be resolute in seeking out and arresting persons who continue to commit crimes and who continue to cause fear in our communities.
"We cannot solve the problems of crime in the Bahamas if we cloak criminals, the power is in your hands - we need you to help us."
Comments
positiveinput 12 years, 5 months ago
Do the police really want help. Lets look at the individual who removed the priceless heirlooms. His admittance to moving the items was that he obtained permission. From whom, only he and God knows cause Sir Arthur Folkes sure has no knowledge of it. Now lets review the difinition of theft. Theft - to remove a persons belongs without permission from the rightful owner with the intent of depriving them of it. Now again Sir Arthur knows nothing of the man in question having permission to transporting the throne, and because it was publicly known that the throne was missing/stolen the man in question never revealed the where abouts of it which was an act of depriving the owner of their belongings.
At the same time some friends/relatives may hide members they know from the law, what about the individuals whom the law just give a pat on the wrist to.
Sign in to comment
OpenID